US embassy cable - 03ROME3700

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PBTS, EU, IT, MD, OSCE 
SUBJECT: URGING HIGH LEVEL ITALIAN/EU PRESIDENCY ENGAGEMENT 
ON MOLDOVA 

REF: STATE 223920 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CDA EMIL M. SKODON.  REASON: 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1. (C) ON AUGUST 14 THE ACTING (NORMALLY DEPUTY) DIRECTOR 
GENERAL OF THE MFA'S BUREAU FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, FRANCESCO 
BASCONE, TOLD CHARGE THAT ITALY SHARED USG CONCERNS (REFTEL) 
OVER THE SLOW PACE OF PROGRESS TO REMOVE RUSSIAN TROOPS AND 
ARMS FROM MOLDOVA AND TO REACH A FINAL POLITICAL SETTLEMENT 
TO END THE CONFLICT OVER TRANSNISTRIA.  BASCONE SAID THAT THE 
ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF AN EU TROIKA VISIT 
TO THE REGION SOMETIME IN THE AUTUMN TO VERIFY ISTANBUL 
COMMITMENT COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS POSSIBILITIES TO INCREASE 
THE PACE OF WITHDRAWALS.  GIVEN THE BUSY EU SCHEDULE IN 
SEPTEMBER HE COULD NOT PROMISE A MINISTERIAL LEVEL TROIKA, 
BUT HE CONFIRMED THAT THE PRESIDENCY WOULD TABLE THE PROPOSAL 
IN BRUSSELS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE SUMMER BREAK.  HE 
ALSO SAID THE PRESIDENCY WOULD INCLUDE MOLDOVA ON THE AGENDAS 
OF THE SEPTEMBER 5 POLITICAL AND SECURITY (COPS) AND 
SEPTEMBER 9 COSCE (EU-OSCE WORKING GROUP) MEETINGS. 
 
2. (C) BASCONE SAID THAT MOLDOVA WOULD BE INCLUDED IN PM 
BERLUSCONI'S BRIEFING PACKAGE FOR RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN'S 
VISIT TO BERLUSCONI'S SUMMER HOME IN SARDINIA ON AUGUST 28. 
HE ALSO NOTED THAT MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT VORONIN WOULD BE IN 
ROME FOR A STATE VISIT ON NOVEMBER 26.  THE VISIT WOULD BE AN 
EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ITALY TO PUSH VORONIN TO ENGAGE 
MORE ACTIVELY WITH THE TRANSNISTRIAN LEADERSHIP. 
 
3. (C) EMBASSY NOTE.  THIS BEING AUGUST, HIGH LEVEL 
    OFFICIALS, FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTER ON DOWN, ARE AWAY FROM 
ROME FOR THEIR VACATIONS.  WE ARE WORKING WITH THE SKELETON 
STAFF IN THE PM'S OFFICE TO SET A MEETING BETWEEN THE CHARGE 
AND DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR (NSA EQUIVALENT) CASTELLANETA PRIOR TO 
BERLUSCONI'S MEETING WITH PUTIN, DURING WHICH WE CAN 
REINFORCE REFTEL POINTS AND PUSH FOR MOLDOVA TO BE PART OF 
THE FINAL AGENDA IN SARDINIA.  WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE ISSUE WHEN U/S BOLTON AND CHARGE 
MEET WITH POLDIR ARAGONA ON AUGUST 27, ARAGONA'S FIRST DAY 
BACK FROM VACATION. 
SKODON 
 
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 2003ROME03700 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL